1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mode shifting device for shifting normal and reverse modes in an automatically reversing type tape player. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mode shifting device for an automatically reversing type tape player, in which during the actuation of a shifting lever, the system can be quickly restored to the play mode after the lock release by a solenoid regardless of the normal or reverse mode, and the structure of a cam gear for shifting the modes is simplified.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally, in the automatically reversing type tape players, a pair of capstans are mutually facingly installed at both sides of the head base. Further, a pair of pinch rolls are installed to guide the advancing of the tape in the directions of the capstans. The pinch rolls move alternately in the directions of the capstans, and thus, the advancing direction of the tape is reversed. The reproducing magnetic head rotates by being switched in accordance with the advancing direction of the tape. Here, the shifting of the modes such as normal and reverse resorts to the force of a solenoid.
A conventional mode shifting device for a tape player is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-7-312001, and this device is illustrated in FIG. 1.
As schematically illustrated in FIG. 1, the mode shifting device includes: a head base 110 for carrying a magnetic head 120; a rotor 130 for being driven by a motor so as to carry the head base 110; a locking member 140 for locking the rotor 130 upon arriving of the head base 110 at a certain position; a solenoid 150 for locking and releasing the locking member 140; and a shifting member 160 for laterally moving in accordance with the actuation of the solenoid 150.
In this mode shifting device, the locking member 140 is locked and released in accordance with the actuation of the solenoid 150, while the head base 110 is carried in accordance with the revolutions of the rotor 130. Thus the normal mode is shifted to the play mode. A guide pin P of the shifting member 160 which is installed at the lower portion of the head base 110 is contacted with branching cams 132 and 134 of the rotor 130 to shift to first and second positions in accordance with the normal and reverse modes, thereby realizing a shifting. Although the drawing does not show, guide cams are disposed adjacently to the branching cam 134, for guiding the guide pin P of the shifting member 160.
Accordingly, in the above described conventional mode shifting device for the tape player, the guide pin P of the shifting member 160 is switched to the first position (normal mode) or to the second position (reverse mode) by the branching cam 134 of the rotor 130 in accordance with the actuation of the solenoid 150. During the actuation of the locking member 140 which is interlocked to the solenoid 150, the locking is released with the result that the guide pin P moves along the respective guide cams to the branch position of the branching cam 134.
However, in the above described conventional mode shifting device for the tape player, after carrying out the normal or reverse mode, the guide pin P of the shifting member 160 moves along the guide cams during the actuation of the locking member 140 which is driven by the solenoid 150. Accordingly, the guide pin P of the shifting member 160 moves a long distance, and particularly, when carrying out the reverse mode, the displacement of the guide pin P is very long. Therefore, the tape player cannot perform the mode shifting action quickly, and therefore, the guide pin P pivots continuously up to the point where the mode shifting is completed.
Further, the guide cams are separately installed for the respective normal and reverse modes, and therefore, the cam structure of the rotor 130 becomes complicated, thereby making the manufacture very difficult.
Further, the solenoid 150 and the locking member 140 which drives the guide pin P of the shifting member 160 actuate in a close contact to each other. Therefore, the load of the solenoid 150 becomes heavy, and therefore, the solenoid 150 cannot actuate efficiently, while the life expectancy of the solenoid 150 is shortened.